Explore A Dreamy Swedish Pool Villa on Gotland

With much of Scandinavia basking in sunshine and warmth this week, it would be rude not to transport us to the Swedish holiday of Gotland today! After all, there's only one month left until the school holidays, and the start of summer cottage life! 

While it would be wonderful to spend the summer at this house on the southeast of the island (the pool looks heavenly for starters!), I could quite happily pull up a seat by the fire in wintertime too. 

True to Swedish style, it has a light and airy open floor plan and features traditional furniture and rugs so often seen in country homes. But perhaps what stands out to me the most are the pops of red and orange in each room - which add so much warmth against the cool stone floors. 

Välkommen in! 

Could you imagine living here? 

And what do you make of the pops of red and orange? I think they add a lovely personal touch and lots of warmth. But even if you're not a fan, the use of colour is a great example of how to add a favourite accent to each room. 

You can currently see more pictures and discover more about this Swedish country home here (it's for sale!). 

Shall we take a moment to drool over a few other houses on the island of Gotland today: 

A rustic summer cottage on the Swedish island of Gotland

Elsa's inspiring summer cottage

A beautiful barn on the island of Gotland

Step inside a converted old schoolhouse

And if you're thinking if visiting the island (it's a must!), you can read about some of my favourite spots in this travel guide of the Baltic coast. 

Have a lovely weekend all! 

Niki

PS I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed reading all your comments recently, I still have some left to reply to, but rest assured, I devour each and every one of them, they add so much to each post. Thank you!

Photography: Bertwig via @hemnet with thanks. 

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A Danish Cabin That's All About The Hygge!

Once upon a time I shared a lovely apartment belonging to Sarah Bjørumslet. The title of the post read 'keeping it real in a Danish family home in the heart of Copenhagen'. And I still remember how refreshing I thought it was to see an unstaged home complete with milk cartons on the table and toys strewn across the bedroom floor. Hooray to everyday life! 

I've been following Sarah's instagram feed @look_good_in_blue ever since and was excited to see that her 'cosy, old school' cottage is available to rent this summer! Situated between Rørvig and Nykøbing North West of Copenhagen, the cabin was built in the 1950s as an artists atelier, before becoming a relaxed getaway by the sea. Read on to discover more! 

Sarah says it's full of games and DVDs - a perfect way to wind down, especially if the Danish weather isn't playing ball! 

Mismatched crockery and glassware adds to the laidback vibe of the cabin and a glass cabinet keeps everything at hand! 

The cosy kitchen is leaning towards the cottage core vibe we are seeing so much of right now and reminds me a little of Hannes Mauritzen's little Swedish allotment cottage (if you haven't seen the tour, head on over!).  

I'm guessing the big chest is full of toys - or maybe blankets! What do you think? 

The sofa pulls out into a bed for extra guests - essential in a Scandinavian summer house as friends and family often stop by for a night or two (always bringing their own bedding, as is customary). 

I love how books are never far away - perfect for a rainy day! 

The ethos of the Scandinavian summer is to spend as much time outdoors as possible. Here, a little play house has been set up for children, and simple outdoor furniture serves as a spot to sit around the fire. After all, it wouldn't be Danish without the hygge! 

Guests don't need to wander far to reach the most magnificent sand dunes and beaches! I personally, love that part of the world - so beautiful! 

If you're curious about renting Sarah's cabin this summer, the best way to reach out / book is via instagram: @look_good_in_blue. 

Is there anything that stands out to you about this cosy cottage? 

It would be rude not to share a few other lovely danish cabins with you today - after all, summer is fast approaching and the weather here in Scandinavia is beautiful right now! Why not pour yourself a cup of coffee and take a peek at:  

A charming and relaxed Danish cabin by the sea

A white, light and airy cabin on a Danish island

A fresh cabin by the sea with vintage finds

Take a tour of a Danish family's log cabin

Have a lovely day!

Niki

Photography courtesy of @look_good_in_blue

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A Bright White Swedish Apartment Where Old Meets New

Last Tuesday I celebrated my twenty year anniversary of living in Sweden. Can you believe it? I simply don't know where the time has gone. But it's been two wonderful decades! Over my years here, Scandinavian interiors have evolved a lot. Even so, there are some looks that are timeless - and one of those is what I like to call 'the Scandinavian blonde look'. 

Think a less is more approach where light colours and blonde wood take centre stage. The look is bright and airy, with touches of nature found around every corner. 

This lovely two-floored Swedish maisonette offers a beautiful bang up to date version of this style, complete with a contemporary stainless steel kitchen,  traditional wainscoting, wood beams, and a painted checked floor. Ready to feel inspired? 

You quite often find a painted wood floor like this in Swedish homes - particularly in the countryside. It's a technique that stems back to the olden days when tiles were considered very expensive, so people would imitate with paint. Today, it's a well loved feature - and relatively easy to achieve with some stencils and a little patience! 

I've seen more and more green tiles like these appearing in homes lately (only last week we saw something similar in St Oak apartment!). I love the old school touch! The loo with the raised cistern reminds me so much of the ones we had at my primary school too, although I'm sure the owners of this place have better loo roll!! 

All in all, a beautiful home, do you agree? 

Take a look at similar 'blonde wood' Scandinavian-style homes: 

A dreamy Copenhagen home full of books and art

The blond Nordic apartment

A bright, light and playful Swedish apartment

But the look isn't reserved for Scandi homes - take a peek at the kitchen of this Normandy family home! 

Wishing you all a bright start to the week! 

Niki

I am home with a very tired gymnast today. Thank you for all your well wishes! We had a great weekend - it was so fun to watch Alice and her team perform - and we were so proud of them for coming 5th in the nationals (although it will take a while for my pulse to drop!)! Per and I also spent some time afternoon in the breath-taking Stockholm archipelagos too - it's so peaceful there. If you haven't already, I hope you can visit one day!

Photography courtesy of Fastighetsbyrån, found via Nordroom with thanks

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Colour Inspiration From a Lovely Swedish Apartment

Hello! How are you this bright and sunny day? In recent years, the interior world trend has edged away from a less is more white space (although they'll always feel timeless to me!) towards more of a mix and match menagerie of bold colours, patterns and prints. 

If you feel you're being carried along by the tide and looking to inject a little more colour into your home, this Swedish apartment might just serve as the perfect inspiration. Read on to discover which tones they have used and other smart uses of colour and contrast! 

In the kitchen, the cabinets have been painted in a soft shade beside a bolder blushing peach by Jotun. I used the latter in my bedroom, and absolutely loved it. Stupidly I painted over it on a whim and now I really miss it! 

A lovely mid blue has been used on a dresser by the window - which pairs beautifully with the peach - a very Scandi combo! 

Note how a shelf has been placed across the window, turning storage out of a disused area. If you have a window looking out onto a pavement, shelves like this can help shield you from prying eyes while still allowing light to come in. 

The sitting room wall (and hallway) have been painted in seashell by Becker. I would so love this shade at our summer cottage, if only for the name! So pretty, don't you think? 

Notice how they have brought in yellow as an accent colour. The trick is to bring in at least three pops for a cohesive, balanced look. Here, it can be seen in the blanket, flowers and a picture frame. 

Playing with scale is a great way to add interest to a space. Here, an oversized lamp makes a statement in the hallway. 

In recent years, paint has moved on from just the walls - and people are going wild with doorframes, wainscoting and other features. When done right, it can make a great impact! 

The wainscoting has been given a lick of 'dark teal' and the walls have been painted with 'rooibos' - both by Becker.

And finally, the children's bedroom has been painted in linen blue by Jotun - an incredibly popular shade in Scandinavia as it's incredible calming. Note the blue and pink combo has been repeated here. 

All in all, a lovely home, full of inspiring ideas!

Are there any paint combinations that stood out to you? 

Perhaps you have a favourite colour in your home that you'd like to share with us? 

In case you're looking for more colour inspiration, here are some Norwegian homes with very pretty schemes! 

A stunning Norwegian home in many shades of blue

Before and after: A rural Norwegian cottage gets a makeover

A charming little summer cabin by a Norwegian fjord

Before we all shoot off, a little note to say, it's a public holiday here in Sweden on Thursday and Friday and Alice (my youngest daughter) is competing in the nationals in gymnastics - so we're heading up to Stockholm to cheer her on. It's always a joy to watch her and her team mates and the other young gymnasts in action, if not highly emotional - I'll be needing big sunglasses! 

This means there'll be no post on Friday - but I'll be back again on Monday! 

Have a lovely few days! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Nya Kvadrat - found via Nordroom with thanks

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